ב׳
ד׳אֵ֣לֶּה תוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם׃
4Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created.When the ETERNAL God made earth and heaven—
אלה. הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
אלה THESE [ARE THE GENERATIONS] — “These” means those that are mentioned above.
תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם ביום עשות ה'. לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכֻּלָּם נִבְרְאוּ בָרִאשׁוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּהִבָּרְאָם, בְּה' בְרָאָם, שֶׁנ' בְיָהּ ה' צוּר עוֹלָמִים (ישעיהו כ"ו), בְּב' אוֹתִיוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יָצַר שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמִים, וְלִמֶּדְךָ כָאן שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִבְרָא בְהֵ"א, רֶמֶז שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמַטָּה לִרְאוֹת שַׁחַת כְּהֵ"א זֹאת שֶׁסְּתוּמָה מִכָּל צְדָדִים וּפְתוּחָה לְמַטָּה לָרֶדֶת דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם:
‘תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם ביום עשות ה THESE ARE THE PRODUCTIONS OF THE HEAVEN AND OF THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED, IN THE DAY THE LORD GOD MADE EARTH AND HEAVEN — The verse teaches you that all of them (the productions of heaven and earth) were created on the first day when God made earth and heaven. Another explanation of the word בהבראם: It may be divided as בה' בראם He created them with the letter ‘ה, as it is said, (Isaiah 26:4) כי ביה ה' צור עולמים “For in Jah, the Lord, is the rock of worlds”, which may be explained to mean (taking צור in sense of Former, Creator) “for by means of ב these two letters י ה of the Divine Name (יהוה) God formed the two worlds” (Menachot 29b), and this verse teaches that this world was created by means of the ‘ה — a suggestion that all created beings must descend to the nether world “to behold the pit” — the world being like this letter ‘ה , which is closed on all sides but open at the bottom, thus giving a way by which they must descend.
ה׳וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכׇל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
5when no shrub of the fieldbshrub of the field I.e., suitable for pasturage. was yet on earth and no grasses of the fieldcgrasses of the field I.e., cereal grasses, suitable as crops. had yet sprouted, because the ETERNAL God had not sent rain upon the earth and there were no human beings to till the soil,
טרם יהיה בארץ. כָּל טֶרֶם שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן עַד לֹא הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן קֹדֶם, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְעָל לוֹמַר הִטְרִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הִקְדִים וְזֶה מוֹכִיחַ, וְעוֹד אַחֵר כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן (שמות ט) עֲדַיִן לֹא תִירְאוּן, וְאַף זֶה תְפָרֵשׁ עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה בָאָרֶץ, כְּשֶׁנִּגְמְרָה בְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי קֹדֶם שֶׁנִבְרָא אָדָם, וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמַח, עֲדַיִן לֹא צָמַח, וּבְג' שֶׁכָּתוּב תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ, לֹא יָצְאוּ, אֶלָּא עַל פֶּתַח קַרְקַע עָמְדוּ עַד יוֹם שִׁשִּׁי:
טרם יהיה בארץ WAS NOT YET IN THE EARTH — Wherever טרם occurs in the Scriptures it means “not yet” and does not mean “before”. It cannot be made into a verbal form, saying הטרים as one says הקדים (verbal form of קדם) and this passage proves that this is the meaning and not "before" as well as another (Exodus 9:30), כי טרם תראון “that ye do not yet fear the Lord”. Therefore you must explain this verse also thus: “No plant of the field was yet in the earth” at the time when the creation of the world was completed on the sixth day before man was created, and וכל עשב השדה טרם יצמח means “and every herb of the field had not yet grown”. But as regards the third day of creation about which it is written “The earth brought forth etc.” this does not signify that they came forth above the ground but that they remained at the opening of the ground (i. e. just below the surface) until the sixth day (Chullin 60a).
כי לא המטיר. וּמַ"טַ לֹא הִמְטִיר? לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה, וְאֵין מַכִּיר בְּטוֹבָתָם שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם וְיָדַע שֶׁהֵם צֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְיָרְדוּ וְצָמְחוּ הָאִילָנוֹת וְהַדְּשָׁאִים:
כי לא המטיר BECAUSE GOD HAD NOT CAUSED IT TO RAIN — And what is the reason that God had not caused it to rain? כי אדם אין לעבוד את האדמה BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MAN TO TILL THE GROUND, and there was, therefore, no one to recognize the utility of rain. When Adam came (was created), however, and he realised that it was necessary for the world, he prayed for it and it fell, so that trees and verdure sprang forth.
ה' אלהים. ה' הוּא שְׁמוֹ, אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא שַׁלִּיט וְשׁוֹפֵט עַל כֹּל, וְכֵן פֵּרוּש זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ, ה' שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהִים:
ה' אלהים THE LORD GOD — The Lord (יהוה) is His Name, whereas אלהים signifies that He is Ruler and Judge over all. This, too, is its meaning, according to the plain sense, wherever it occurs: The Lord who is God (Ruler and Judge).
ו׳וְאֵ֖ד יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה אֶֽת־כׇּל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
6but a flow would well up from the ground and water the whole surface of the earth—
ואד יעלה. לְעִנְיַן בְּרִיאָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, הֶעֱלָה הַתְּהוֹם וְהִשְׁקָה עֲנָנִים לִשְׁרוֹת הֶעָפָר וְנִבְרָא אָדָם, כְּגַבָּל זֶה, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מַיִם וְאַחַ"כַּ לָשׁ אֶת הָעִסָּה, אַף כָּאן, וְהִשְׁקָה, וְאַחַ"כַּ וַיִּיצֶר:
ואד יעלה AND A MIST WENT UP — This has reference to the creation of Adam: viz., He caused the deep to rise and filled the clouds with water to moisten the dust, and man was created. It is like a kneader of bread who first pours in water and afterwards kneads the dough — similarly here: He first watered the ground and afterwards He formed man (Genesis Rabbah 14:1).
ז׳וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
7the ETERNAL God formed a Humanda Human Heb. ha-ʼadam. Although this term is not gendered, to the ancient audience it went without saying that the progenitor of all human lineages was a male. from the soil’s humus,efrom the soil’s humus Heb. ʻaphar min ha-ʼadamah. blowing into his nostrils the breath of life: the Human became a living being.
וייצר. שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִיצִירָה לִתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, אֲבָל בַּבְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת לַדִּין לֹא נִכְתַּב בִּיצִירָתָהּ שְׁנֵי יוֹדִי"ן:
וייצר AND GOD FORMED — Here the letter yod is written twice to intimate that there were two formations — a formation of man for this world, and a formation of man for resurrection; in the case of animals, however, which will not stand after death for judgment before God the word referring to their formation— ויצר —(Genesis 2:19) is not written with two yods (Midrash Tanchuma, Tazria 1).
עפר מן האדמה. צָבַר עֲפְרוֹ מִכָּל הָאֲדָמָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּמוּת שָׁם תְּהֵא קוֹלַטְתּוֹ לִקְבוּרָה. דָּ"אַ נָטַל עֲפָרוֹ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי (שמות כ'), הַלְוַאי תִּהְיֶה לוֹ כַפָּרָה וְיוּכַל לַעֲמֹד:
עפר מן האדמה DUST OF THE EARTH — He gathered his dust (i. e. that from which he was made) from the entire earth — from its four corners — in order that wherever he might die, it should receive him for burial (Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei 3). Another explanation: He took his dust from that spot on which the Holy Temple with the altar of atonement was in later times to be built of which it is said, (Exodus 20:24) “An altar of earth thou shalt make for Me” saying, “Would that this sacred earth may be an expiation for him so that he may be able to endure” (Genesis Rabbah 14:8).
ויפח באפיו. עֲשָׂאוֹ מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּמִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, גוּף מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּנְשָׁמָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, בַּשֵּׁנִי בָּרָא רָקִיעַ לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי תֵּרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, בָּרְבִיעִי בָּרָא מְאוֹרוֹת לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּחֲמִישִׁי יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הֻזְקַק בַּשִּׁשִּׁי לִבְראוֹת בּוֹ בָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּבַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאִם לָאו יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֵלּוּ רַבִּים עַל אֵלּוּ בִּבְרִיאַת יוֹם אֶחָד:
ויפח באפיו AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS — He made him of both, of earthly and of heavenly matter: the body of the earthly, and the soul of the heavenly. For on the first day were created heaven and earth, on the second, He created the firmament for the heavenly beings, on the third He said, “Let the dry land appear” — for the earthly beings, on the fourth He created the lights for the heavenly beings, on the fifth He said, “Let the waters swarm…” — for the earthly beings. Consequently on the sixth there had to be created a being composed of both, of heavenly and of earthly matter, for otherwise there would have been envy (lack of harmony) among the works of Creation, in that there would have been devoted to one class of them one day more of the Creation than to the others (Genesis Rabbah 12:8).
לנפש חיה. אַף בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה נִקְרְאוּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, אַךְ זוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חַיָּה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן, שֶׁנִתּוֹסֵף בּוֹ דֵּעָה וְדִבּוּר:
לנפש חיה A LIVING SOUL — Also cattle and beasts are called נפש חיה (1:20, 22, 24), but the נפש of man is the most highly developed of all of them, because to him was granted understanding and speech.
ח׳וַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְּעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר׃
8The ETERNAL God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and placed there the Human who had been fashioned.
מקדם. בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל עֵדֶן נָטַע אֶת הַגָּן. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, הֲרֵי כְבָר כָּתַב וַיִּבְרְָא אֶת הָאָדָם וְגוֹ', רָאִיתִי בִּבְרַיְתָא שֶׁל ר"א בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַ' יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי מל"ב מִדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת, וְזוֹ אַחַת מֵהֶן, כְּלָל שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו מַעֲשֶׂה הוּא פְרָטוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם זֶהוּ כְּלָל, סָתַם בְּרִיאָתוֹ מֵהֵיכָן וְסָתַם מַעֲשָׂיו, חָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', וַיַּצְמַח לוֹ גַּן עֵדֶן וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן וַיַּפֵּל עָלָיו תַּרְדֵּמָה, הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ סָבוּר שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה אַחֵר, וְאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא פְרָטוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן; וְכֵן אֵצֶל הַבְּהֵמָה חָזַר וְכָתַב וַיִּצֶר ה' וגו' מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּדֵי לְפָרֵשׁ וַיָּבֵא אֶל הָאָדָם לִקְרוֹת שֵׁם וּלְלַמֵּד עַל הָעוֹפוֹת שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הָרְקָק:
מקדם EASTWARD — In the east of Eden He planted the garden. Should you say, however, it is already written, (1:27) “and He created the man etc.”, then I say that I have seen the Baraitha of R. Eliezer the son of R. José the Galilean, dealing with the thirty two rules of interpretation according to which the Torah (Agada) can be interpreted, and the following is one of them: when a general statement of an action is followed by a detailed account of it, the latter is a particularisation of the former: — “And He created the man” is a general statement, but it does not explicitly state whence he was created and what God did unto him. Now it repeats it and explains these things: “And the Lord God formed man”, “and He made to grow for him the garden of Eden”, and He caused a deep sleep to fall upon him.” He who hears this might think that it is a different account entirely, whereas it is nothing else but the details of the former general statement. Similarly with reference to the cattle the creation of which has been mentioned above (1:27). it resumes and writes, (2:19) “and out of the ground the Lord [God] formed every beast of the field etc.”, for the purpose of explaining “and He brought them unto the man to give them names”, and also to state that the fowls were created from the swamps.
ט׳וַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כׇּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃
9And from the ground the ETERNAL God caused to grow every tree that was pleasing to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and bad.
ויצמח. לְעִנְיַן הַגַּן הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
ויצמח AND HE CAUSED TO GROW — The verse speaks here only with reference to the garden (Genesis Rabbah 13:1)
בתוך הגן. בָּאֶמְצַע:
בתוך הגן IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN — means in the very centre of the garden.
י׳וְנָהָר֙ יֹצֵ֣א מֵעֵ֔דֶן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת אֶת־הַגָּ֑ן וּמִשָּׁם֙ יִפָּרֵ֔ד וְהָיָ֖ה לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה רָאשִֽׁים׃
10A river issues from Eden to water the garden, and it then divides and becomes four branches.
י״אשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד פִּישׁ֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסֹּבֵ֗ב אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הַזָּהָֽב׃
11The name of the first is Pishon, the one that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where the gold is.
פישון. הוּא נִילוּס נְהַר מִצְרַיִם, וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁמֵּימָיו מִתְבָּרְכִין וְעוֹלִין וּמַשְׁקִין אֶת הָאָרֶץ נִקְרָא פִישׁוֹן כְּמוֹ וּפָשׁוּ פָּרָשָׁיו (חבקוק א') דָּ"אַ פִּישׁוֹן, שֶׁהוּא מְגַדֵּל פִּשְׁתָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל מִצְרַיִם (ישעיהו י"ט) וּבֹשׁוּ עֹבְדֵי פִשְׁתִּים:
פישון PISHON — This is the Nile, the River of Egypt. Because its waters grow plentiful and rise and water the land, it is called Pishon, the name being of the same root as the verb in (Habakkuk 1:8) ופשו פרשיו “and their horsemen increased”; another interpretation of the name Pishon is: it is so called because it grows flax (פשתן) (Genesis Rabbah 16:2) for it is said with reference to Egypt (Isaiah 19:9) “Moreover they that work in combed flax, shall be ashamed.”
י״בוּֽזְהַ֛ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִ֖וא ט֑וֹב שָׁ֥ם הַבְּדֹ֖לַח וְאֶ֥בֶן הַשֹּֽׁהַם׃
12(The gold of that land is good; bdellium is there, and lapis lazuli.flapis lazuli In contrast to others “onyx”; meaning of Heb. shoham uncertain.)
י״גוְשֵֽׁם־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַשֵּׁנִ֖י גִּיח֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסּוֹבֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ כּֽוּשׁ׃
13The name of the second river is Gihon, the one that winds through the whole land of Cush.
גיחון. שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה, וְהֶמְיָתוֹ גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ כִי יִגַּח (שמות כ"א), שֶׁמְּנַגֵּחַ וְהוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה:
גיחון GICHON — It is so called because it flows on with a roar, its roaring being very noisy,—similar in meaning to (Exodus 21:28) וכי יגח “And if an [ox] gore” — for when it gores it rushes on roaring (Berakhot 59b.).
י״דוְשֵׁ֨ם הַנָּהָ֤ר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ חִדֶּ֔קֶל ה֥וּא הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ קִדְמַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר וְהַנָּהָ֥ר הָֽרְבִיעִ֖י ה֥וּא פְרָֽת׃
14The name of the third river is Tigris, the one that flows east of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
חדקל. שֶׁמֵּימָיו חַדִּין וְקַלִּין:
חדקל TIGRIS — It is called חדקל because its waters are pungent in taste (חד) and light in weight (קל) (Berakhot 59b).
פרת. שֶׁמֵּימָיו פָּרִין וְרָבִין וְמַבְרִין אֶת הָאָדָם: כוש ואשור. עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ, וְכָתַב הַמִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
פרת EUPHRATES — It is called פרת because its waters grow (פרה) and increase and make men healthy (Berakhot 59b). כוש ואשור CUSH AND ASHUR did not then exist as countries, but Scripture writes with reference to the names which those districts would bear in the future (Ketubot 10b; Genesis Rabbah 16).
קדמת אשור. לְמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל אַשּׁוּר:
קדמת אשור means AT THE EAST OF ASHUR.
הוא פרת. הֶחָשׁוּב עַל כֻּלָּם, הַנִּזְכָּר עַל שֵׁם א"י:
הוא פרת IS THE EUPHRATES — the most important of all, being mentioned in connection with the Land of Israel (Genesis Rabbah 16:3).
Este é Prat. O mais importante de todos, mencionado em relação à terra de Yisrael:
ט״ווַיִּקַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעׇבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשׇׁמְרָֽהּ׃
15The ETERNAL God settled the Human in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.
ויקח. לְקָחוֹ בִדְבָרִים נָאִים וּפִתָּהוּ לִכָּנֵס (בראשית רבה):
ויקח AND HE TOOK — He took him with kind words and induced him to enter (Genesis Rabbah 16:5).
ט״זוַיְצַו֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃
16And the ETERNAL God commanded the Human, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat;
י״זוּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכׇלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃
17but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die.”
י״חוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃
18The ETERNAL God said, “It is not good for the Human to be alone; I will make a fitting counterpart for him.”
לא טוב היות וגו'. שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי רָשׁוּיוֹת הֵן, הַקָּבָּ"ה יָחִיד בָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג, וְזֶה יָחִיד בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג (בראשית רבה):
'לא טוב היות וגו IT IS NOT GOOD etc. — I shall make an help meet for him in order that people may not say that there are two Deities, the Holy One, blessed be He, the only One among the celestial Beings without a mate, and this one (Adam), the only one among the terrestrial beings, without a mate (Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 12).
עזר כנגדו. זָכָה – עֵזֶר; לֹא זָכָה – כְּנֶגְדּוֹ לְהִלָּחֵם:
עזר כנגדו A HELP MEET FOR HIM — (כנגדו literally, opposite, opposed to him) If he is worthy she shall be a help to him; if he is unworthy she shall be opposed to him, to fight him (Yevamot 63a).
י״טוַיִּ֩צֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כׇּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ׃
19And the ETERNAL God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the Human to see what he would call them; and whatever the Human called each living creature, that would be its name.
וייצר מן האדמה. הִיא יְצִירָה הִיא עֲשִׂיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה לְמַעְלָה וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ', אֶלָּא בָא וּפֵרֵשׁ שֶׁהָעוֹפוֹת נִבְרְאוּ מִן הָרְקָק, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה מִן הַמַּיִּם נִבְרְאוּ וְכָאן אָמַר מִן הָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ (חולין כ"ז), וְעוֹד לִמֶּדְךָ כָּאן שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת יְצִירָתָן מִיָּד בּוֹ בַיּוֹם הֱבִיאָם אֶל הָאָדָם לִקְרוֹת לָהֶם שֵׁם. וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה יְצִירָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וְכִבּוּשׁ, כְּמוֹ כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר (דברים כ"ד), שֶׁכְּבָשָׁן תַּחַת יָדוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם (בראשית רבה):
ויצר מן האדמה NOW OUT OF THE GROUND THE ETERNAL GOD HAD FORMED — The formation spoken of here is the creation mentioned above (1:25) “And God made the beast of the earth etc.” and this statement comes (is repeated) here to point out that the fowls were created from the swamps; for above it is said that they were created from the waters and here it states that they were created from the earth. Furthermore it teaches you here that when they were created, immediately — on the very same day — He brought them to Adam to give them names (Chullin 27b); and in the statement of the Agada (Genesis Rabbah 17:4) we are told that this expression יצירה means domination and subjugation, like (Deuteronomy 20:19) כי תצור אל עיר “when thou shalt besiege a city", for He subjugated them under the power of Adam.
וכל אשר יקרא לו האדם נפש חיה וגו'. סָרְסֵהוּ וּפָרְשֵׁהוּ, כֹּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם שֵׁם, הוּא שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם:
וכל אשר יקרא לו האדם נפש חיה וגו — Invert it (the phrases of the sentence) and then explain it thus: every living creature to which Adam should give a name — that should remain its name forever.